[Photo from tourismvancouver.com]

Starting at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver's waterfront area, cyclists can head West towards Stanley Park along the Seawall, watching as boats, seaplanes, and even cruise ships come and go from Vancouver's busy harbour.

When you reach the entrance to Stanley Park, you have the option to cut through the park and head on through to English Bay, or to complete the one-way loop around the Stanley Park Seawall. Either route will take you through to False Creek via English Bay Beach. This two-way seaside bicycle route is a 15-kilometre (9.4 mile) paved bike path that begins at English Bay and continues around False Creek to Kitsilano Beach.

From there, you can connect onto a bike route that will take you through Jericho Beach Park, Spanish Banks, and all the way to the University of British Columbia. Some of this route follows city streets that are well marked with cycle-path signs.

If you cycle the entire route, you'll get to experience Vancouver's Coal Harbour, West End, Yaletown, Athletes Village, Fairview, Kitsilano, and Point Grey neigbhourhoods - with plenty of opportunity to stop and check out what each neighbourhood has to offer.

There is also plenty to see and do right along this bike route, including: Canada Place, Lost Lagoon, Second Beach (Stanley Park), English Bay Beach, David Lam Park, The Plaza of Nations, the Edgewater Casino, Science World, Granville Island, Kitsilano Beach, Kitsilano Pool and the Jericho Sailing Centre.

If you continue all the way to the University of British Columbia you can also check out the Nitobe Memorial Garden, UBC Botanical Gardens and the lush Pacific Spirit Park.